Myths abound concerning sugar. Does it feed cancer? Is sugar addictive? Are natural sugars better than added sugars?

Environmental Nutrition Newsletter took a look recently at the connection between sugar and cancer. Researchers found that sugar feeds both cancer cells and regular cells.

Karen Collins, registered dietitian with the American Institute for Cancer Research, writes that glucose, the form of sugar that circulates in blood, is fuel for cancer cells — as well as healthy cells. However, the rapid growth of cancer cells means they need more fuel than normal cells. This has led to the myth that avoiding all sugar could starve cancer cells and prevent them from growing.

Not so.

We don't have a way of keeping glucose from cancer cells and directing it to healthy cells, according to Collins. To make things even more confusing, if you limit carbohydrate intake, your body can convert protein into the glucose it needs.

So here's the bottom line: Research doesn't show that avoiding sugar can lower your risk of getting cancer. Instead of sugar, insulin levels may be the problem. Big surges in blood sugar from large amounts of carbohydrates that raise blood sugar quickly (think sweets and sugary drinks) can prompt the pancreas to secrete extra amounts of insulin to handle it. Those elevated insulin levels may stimulate cancer growth.

Excess weight can influence cancer risk as well. Too much body fat raises the risk of developing any one of at least 11 different cancers by increasing insulin and insulin resistance levels, promoting inflammation, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research.

And there is a difference between consuming foods with added sugars and those with natural sugars. Added sugars are in sweets and sugary drinks. Natural sugars are in fruits and milk. Foods with natural sugars also have beneficial vitamins, minerals and fiber that all influence the digestion of those sugars. The AICR recommends limiting foods and drinks high in added sugars. That's not because of a direct effect of sugar on cancer risk. The recommendation is to support a healthy weight and make room for foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans.

What can you do to limit added-sugar foods?

1. Drink more water. Nearly half of added-sugar consumption comes from soda, fruit drinks, sports or energy drinks, sweet tea and coffee.

2. Try trail mix instead of sweets and baked goods.

3. Switch cereals. Instead of sugary cereals and packaged higher-sugar oatmeal, try shredded wheat or plain oatmeal with fruit.

4. Choose unsweetened yogurt and add your own fruit instead of having yogurt sweetened with jam or sugar.

5. Look for hidden sugars in salad dressing, barbecue sauce, ketchup and spaghetti sauce, then switch to lower-sugar varieties.

Q and A

Q: What is the gray layer under the skin in salmon? Is it OK to eat?

A: Salmon (and other fish) develop a gray-brown layer of insulating fat between their skin and flesh in addition to fat deposited within the flesh. For cosmetic reasons, vendors who remove the skin also take off as much of the gray fat as they can. But you may still find some of it on your salmon steaks or smoked salmon. Yes, it's OK to eat it, though some people dislike the intense flavor. Like the fat deposited within the flesh, this gray layer contains heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. But the fat in farmed salmon may also contain elevated levels of PCBs and other industrial pollutants, depending on where the fish comes from and what it was fed. Though research is unclear as to how much of a risk farmed salmon (and other farmed fish) pose, it shouldn't be the only fish you eat. It's always best to vary your intake of seafood.

Information courtesy of University of California, Berkeley, Wellness.

Recipe

Here's a recipe for a quick chicken piccata that's a perfect after-work dish. It's from Cooking Light magazine.

QUICK CHICKEN PICCATA WITH ORZO

1 cup uncooked whole-wheat orzo

3 tablespoons lemon juice, divided

2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

4 ounces chicken breast cutlets

1/4 cup finely chopped shallot

2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic

8 thin lemon slices, seeds removed

1 tablespoon capers, drained

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. Spread orzo on a baking sheet; cool 10 minutes. Place orzo in a bowl; add 1 tablespoon juice, 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, stirring to combine.

Place flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Place chicken on a platter (do not wipe out pan). Add shallot and garlic to pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons juice and lemon slices, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to low; add capers and butter, stirring until butter melts. Spoon lemon mixture over chicken. Serve with orzo. Serves 4.

Per serving: 459 calories, 33 g protein, 45 g carbohydrate, 15 g fat, (4 g sat; 9 g unsat), 8 g fiber, 348 mg sodium.

Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian at Hy-Vee in Springfield, Illinois, and the media representative for the Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. For comments or questions, contact her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @Nutrition Rd. To find out more about Charlyn Fargo and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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